7 Reasons to Avoid Silicones

Like plastic wrap, silicones form a barrier on top of your skin. That barrier can lock in moisture, yes, but it can also trap dirt, sweat, bacteria, sebum, dead skin cells and other debris along with it!

2. Silicones can cause acne and congestion.

Prolonged exposure to oil, dead skin and bacteria underneath the semi-occlusive seal of silicones can lead to increased breakouts. If you are acne-prone, I consider silicones among the most important ingredients to avoid—maybe even THE most important. Silicones can also be a culprit in under-the-skin clogs (a.k.a. congestion), even if you don’t develop full-blown acne.

3. Silicones can make your skin dull and dehydrated.

Silicones could also be clogging your pores, but manifesting as dryness and dullness instead of acne. Not only do silicones prevent additional moisture from getting in, but the impacted materials can dehydrate your pores and throw your skin’s natural regulatory processes off-balance. The result? Your skin becomes less able to shed dead layers and hydrate itself.

4. Silicones interfere with cell renewal.

Our skin renews itself every 28 days, whereby old cells are sloughed off and new cells make their way up to the surface. Silicones inhibit this process by slowing down the production of new cells and keeping dead cells stuck longer. Impaired cell renewal could decelerate the improvement of conditions such as pigmentation, redness, fine lines and scarring!

5. Silicones deliver nothing beneficial to your skin.

When you use skincare products heavy in silicones, you’re not actually hydrating or nourishing your skin, no matter what the label may claim—it’s simply a short-term smoothing. (And a very lazy way of formulating, I might add!) As beauty consumers, we deserve higher-quality ingredients that support skin health. Think: botanicals like aloe vera, and safe butters and oils such as shea and jojoba, for starters.

6. Silicones block other ingredients from absorbing.

If you are layering products (which most of us do!), silicones can prevent them from doing their jobs properly. Let’s say you use a silicone-based micellar water or serum. Any moisturizers or treatments you put on next could have a diminished ability to penetrate, rendering them less effective. Heck, I even suspect that silicones probably impede the absorption of any beneficial ingredients within the same formula!

7. Silicones can be difficult to remove.

The most common silicone, dimethicone, is extremely heavy and leaves a coating on the skin unless it is carefully removed. This is often why people see such a difference from nightly double cleansing, because it’s properly removing the silicones from your skin—a single pass with a regular face wash simply isn’t enough! The same goes for silicone hair conditioners; even if you’ve rinsed with water, they can leave behind residue that triggers back and hairline acne.

Click here to request a catalogue about DNA Skin Institute’s full range of skin care products) or learn more about the products here.)

The easiest way to identify silicones on product labels is to look for words that end in one of these:

-Cone

• Dimethicone

• Methicone

• Trimethicone

• Cyclomethicone

• Amodimethicone

• Trimethylsilylamodimethicone

-Siloxane

• Cyclopentasiloxane

• Polydimethylsiloxane

-Conol

• Dimethiconol

That should help you identify the vast majority of silicones in beauty products.

However, I’m noticing an increasing trend toward using silicone ingredients that you might not immediately recognize. (This is what I mean about all the different identities these things go under!) You may wish to look for these names as well:

Polymers

• C10-30 Alkyl acrylate crosspolymer

• VP / VA Copolymer

• Polybutene

• Polyisobutene

Keep in mind, silicones can lurk in all of the following types of products:

Skincare

• Moisturizers

• Serums

• Face oils

• Sunscreens

• Face masks

• Face mists

• Acne treatments

• Anti-aging treatments

Makeup

• Foundations

• BB and CC creams

• Tinted moisturizers

• Primers

• Concealers

• Powders

• Blushes

• Setting sprays

Haircare

• Hydrating shampoos

• Conditioners

• Leave-in conditioners

• Hair masks

• Styling creams

• Hair oils

I hope you’ll agree that your skin is better off without silicones.

Frankly, it really bothers me that so many beauty companies purport to be helping our complexions while cranking out these cheap formulations devoid of natural, nourishing ingredients!

Do I think it’s a problem to use silicone-based cosmetics for special occasions? No. But for a day to day basis, I’d really encourage you to find healthier alternatives, especially with your moisturizers and foundations.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing some new silicone-free makeup and skincare discoveries.

About Westlake Skin Spa

At the Westlake Skin Spa, we address the aging process with a whole body wellness approach. We have developed treatments and products that are 100% natural, chemical and preservative free. The treatments yield dramatic results without skin tissue trauma, pain or recovery time. The all-natural products enhance the esthetic image while supporting skin and systemic wellness.

Our caring and comprehensive approach, expansive knowledge of cutting edge medical technologies, commitment to organic products, and arsenal of proprietary bio-medical methodologies make for a one-of-a-kind skin care experience. From your very first appointment, you’ll see for yourself what a difference comprehensive treatments using the highest quality of bio-medical products the industry has to offer truly makes.
No gimmicks – just real skin care.

I.Bar Beauty Boutique, home of Westlake Skin Spa, is proud to be a DNA Health Institute Certified & Licensed Salon.

Our estheticians hold additional licenses administered and regulated by the FDA as practitioners of the proprietary Cryostem™ Skin Therapy System. Each has been approved and trained by the DNA Health Institute, Cryogenic Division, as a Certified DNA Practitioner (C.D.P.)

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